An electrical connector assembly is used to mate with a complementary connector for transmitting signals. The connectors may comprise male and female connectors. The male and female connectors are often coupled together by engagement between contacts thereof. However, the male and female connectors may be easily disconnected when an external force is exerted thereon. Thus, a conventional coupled electrical connector assembly has securing means, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,380,217 and 5,425,650 and Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 83209007 and 84208281, to securely interlock the mated connectors.
Referring to FIG. 8, a conventional coupled electrical connector assembly 100 includes a male connector 102 and a female connector 104 mated with the male connector 102. The female connector 104 forms a protrusion 106 upwardly extending from a top surface 108 thereof. The mate connector 102 forms an aperture 110 in a top surface 112 thereof for engaging the protrusion 106 thereby preventing disconnection of the coupled electrical connector assembly 100 due to an external force.
However, the engagement between the protrusion 106 and the aperture 110 is easily broken by an incidentally applied external force. Thus, the conventional coupled electrical connector assembly 100 is unreliable.